Last Stop on the Erie-Lackawanna
She sits on the train and stares at the passing hillsides.
Animated visions of towns she long since left
are whizzing by, their whispered plea, “Come back,
you are still thirsty for that bottle of mistakes,
come partake and we will sustain you.”
Bad memories, resilient buggers.
Aching for revenge that will never be hers,
she stands on the platform of the caboose
and, hearing the thrumming of the engine, wheels at full-tilt pace,
she decides this may be her stop after all.
(c) 2011 Amy Barlow Liberatore
Many thanks to Brenda Warren at Beyond the Bozone for the Wordle. As usual, a cheerful offering from yours truly…!
The words were: revenge, aching, train, thirst, thrumming, visions, resilient, sustain, animated, hillsides, whispered.
Sharp Little Pencil 
brenda w
I love this piece. You remind that there is much more to a place than, well, place. Our hearts and souls get wrapped up in geography, too. Excellent construction of a wordle piece.
~Brenda
Sharp Little Pencil
Hey, you got me started on it! The kudos are on you, and I’m going to add your new Sunday Wordle to the list of blogs I follow…. Thanks!
Blossom Dreams
Hi – this is Chloe from “Writing Days-Happy Days” with my new blog. Just to let you know I’ve subscribed to your blog now as Blossom Dreams. Please visit if you get a chance (if you haven’t already).
Chloe xx
Sharp Little Pencil
I’m a-comin’!!!
Debbie
What is it about us poets, that we tend to write about the “happy” stuff? Of course I remember the advice of one poet, saying that polyanna poetry was just crap. ha! You did an amazing job with all those words! Thank you !
Sharp Little Pencil
Thanks, Debbie. If you look at the ending again, I think you’ll have second thoughts about the “happy” part…!
booguloo
I remember those old rusted cars and playing on the trestle over Onondaga Creek behind the Easy Bargain Center on Oswego St. Man the memories you keep popping up…
Sharp Little Pencil
Yeah, there’s really nothing about trains and tracks and the old “clickety-clack” (as Louis Jordan would sing) that I don’t like! Glad I’m helping the synapses fire!!
vivinfrance
Subtle use of the wordle words. If you hadn’t highlighted them they would have merged seamlessly. There’s a very sad feel to this poem.
Sharp Little Pencil
Was hoping folks got the point of the “last stop” when she was on the caboose…
Again, Kudos to BRENDA for her Wordle. Not my normal thing, but she made an accessible group of words that easily fell into place. I’ve tried many before and only posted a couple because they felt forced, like I was trying to cram the words in for the sake of using them up. Brenda Warren is great at this, so I hope lots of folks will try her new posting, I think it’s Whirling Wordle Sundays? You can find it on Beyond the Bozone, her other blog. Thanks, Viv! Amy
Renee
You have given the words a story with a meaning. A nicely flowing piece. I like what you have done here.
Sharp Little Pencil
Thanks so much, Renee. Working with Wordles can be tricky, it’s true, because you run the risk of sticking words in just to put them somewhere, which is why I don’t often Wordle, but Brenda’s combination made for an easy right. I appreciate your stopping by! Amy
beespoetry
*sigh* yep, I’ve heard that whisper in the night as well. That’s usually when I decide to get in my car and drive until three or four in the morning, until I feel tired enough that I won’t crawl inside a bottle and make some terrible decisions.
Sharp Little Pencil
Hey, stand in line and take a number, LOL. Seriously, I’m glad you climb into the car instead of the bottle, because “turn left or turn right” is easier on you than the decisions you have to make when you’re wasted. I understand completely, kiddo.
Kim Nelson
Love the energy, the change in tone, the wondering and resolution. Nice construction, Amy! Happy Mother’s Day!
Sharp Little Pencil
Thanks, Kim. I don’t often use Wordles, but this flowed well. And thanks for the Mom’s Day, same to you and yours!
pmwanken
Amy…liked your use of the words. I’m new to “wordles”….still amazed at how vast the stories can be, using the same set of words!
Here’s mine from the same list: http://whenwordsescape.wordpress.com/2011/05/01/resilient/
Sharp Little Pencil
Paula, you are one of the few who, like me, include a specific link to a particular poem you’d like me to see. I find that so helpful, don’t you?
Yes, Wordles are fun, huh? OK, on my way to check yours out! Amy
Madeleine Begun Kane
A very powerful poem!
Sharp Little Pencil
Thanks, Mad. I tried a limerick this week, aren’t you proud?!! Ha ha Amy
Mr. Walker
Amy, a great take on those wordle words; glad to see you’re checking out Brenda’s new blog too. I love that whispered plea: “thirsty for that bottle of mistakes” – that’s a great line. And I like the spin that the bad memories are what’s resilient.
Richard
Sharp Little Pencil
Richard, thank you for noticing that phrase – it took a while to come up with it. I love Wordles but only use them when they call to me. Brenda made it easy to associate the words. If you did one, I’ll be sure to come over and see it. And bad memories? I think they’re what you make them and what power you give them in your life, right? Amy
miskmask
I meant to comment earlier but I’m fighting against time lately. I’ll grab my opportunity now. This is without doubt one of your best pieces. It’s genuine and haunting, and as someone who’s known a dear one who jumped on that ‘last stop’ I recognise the disconnected thought process of a person contemplating this extreme and final exit.
Sharp Little Pencil
Misk, you GOT IT! The ending. Congrats – I may rewrite if I decide to submit, especially after your encouraging comment. Just need to strengthen the fact (which I thought was clear) that she was indeed getting up the guts to jump off the train. I, too, recognize that isolation, the bottle, the whole beckoning. But then, we’re sort of sisters of the soul… thanks so much. Peace, Amy
Sharp Little Pencil
Misk, you GOT IT! The ending. Congrats – I may rewrite if I decide to submit, especially after your encouraging comment. Just need to strengthen the fact (which I thought was clear) that she was indeed getting up the guts to jump off the train. I, too, recognize that isolation, the bottle, the whole beckoning. But then, we’re sort of sisters of the soul… thanks so much. Peace, Amy